On Tuesday, April 13 officials in Washington D.C. called for a pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution. Due to six women in America getting a rare blood clotting disorder which is around 1 in 1.1 million immunizations. The women are between 18 and 48 and started to show symptoms six to thirteen days after immunization. One woman has died and another is hospitalized in Nebraska. Nearly seven million individuals have gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and almost ten million more dosages have been transported out to the states. 

Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, suggested a pause with the distribution of the vaccine as a safety precaution. He believes these events are extremely rare, however called for a brief suspension of the distribution of the vaccine until medical officials have reviewed the cases. Almost two dozen governors followed suit and called for a brief pause. 

The CDC and FDA calls for a brief stop to the distribution of shots done by the U.S. military, other federally run places, and CVS and Walgreens that were participating in the national vaccination program. Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting commissioner of the F.D.A, believes the pause will only last a few days. It depends on what the medical officials learn about the cases. 

Scientists from both the FDA and the CDC are working together to figure out the link(s) between the vaccine and the blood clotting disorder. What they find out will determine what the FDA will do. If they will limit who will be able to receive the shot or only using it in emergency situations. 

With this pause, many fear complications involving vaccination distribution. Due to many Americans are already hesitant to get the shot; this pause only solidifies their opinions on the vaccine and maybe more joins them.